''Tore Up'' is an album by the American blues musician

Nappy Brown Napoleon Brown Goodson Culp (October 12, 1929 – September 20, 2008) better known by his stage name Nappy Brown, was an American R&B singer. His hits include the 1955 ''Billboard'' chart No. 2 " Don't Be Angry", "Little By Little", and "N ...

, released in 1984. A comeback album, it was recorded with

Tinsley Ellis Tinsley Ellis (born June 4, 1957) is an American blues and rock musician, who was born in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and grew up in South Florida. According to ''Billboard'', "nobody has released more consistently excellent blues albums ...

and the Heartfixers. The album was reissued by

Alligator Records Alligator Records is an American, Chicago-based independent blues record label founded by Bruce Iglauer in 1971. Iglauer was also one of the founders of the '' Living Blues'' magazine in Chicago in 1970. History Iglauer started the label using ...

in 1990. The album sold around 10,000 copies in its first three years of release.

Production

Recorded in

East Point, Georgia East Point is a suburban city located southwest of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,358. The city name is derived from being at the opposite end of the former Atlanta & West ...

, the album was produced by

Eddy Offord Eddy Offord (born 20 February 1943) is a retired English record producer and audio engineer who gained prominence in the 1970s for his work on albums by the progressive rock bands Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Yes. Life and career Offord studied phy ...

, with Ricky Keller and Michael Rothschild. Brown decided to make an album with the Heartfixers after sitting in with them during an Atlanta show. "Hidden Charms" is a cover of the Willie Dixon song. "Lemon Squeezin' Daddy" was written by Brown in the 1950s; Brown had wanted to release it as a single, but

Savoy Records Savoy Records is an American record company and label established by Herman Lubinsky in 1942 in Newark, New Jersey. Savoy specialized in jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel music. In September 2017, Savoy was acquired by Concord Bicycle Music ...

considered it too bawdy.

Critical reception

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Penns ...

'' wrote that "the Brown voice is big and raunchy on such tunes as 'Jack the Rabbit', 'Ain't My Cross to Bear' and 'Hard Luck Blues', and the Heartfixers provide solid accompaniment." The ''

Orlando Sentinel The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is the primary newspaper of Orlando, Florida, and the Central Florida region. It was founded in 1876 and is currently owned by Tribune Publishing Company. The ''Orlando Sentinel'' is owned by parent company, '' Tribune P ...

'' thought that "Ellis' steamy licks, Oliver Wells' soulful organ, Scott Alexander's even more soulful piano and a four-piece horn section provide the perfect setting for Brown's deep, versatile voice." ''

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the only major daily newspaper in the metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. It is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the result of the merger between ...

'' concluded that "while it may not catch Brown at the height of his vocal powers, the sound does reflect his maturity and happiness." ''

The Buffalo News ''The Buffalo News'' is the daily newspaper of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, located in downtown Buffalo, New York. It recently sold its headquarters to Uniland Development Corp. It was for decades the only paper fully owned by W ...

'' determined that Brown's "chops here are as formidable as on his classic '50s stuff."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...

called the album "very credible," writing that Brown "reprises his salacious blues 'Lemon Squeezin' Daddy' and rolls his R's like the good old days." ''

The Rolling Stone Album Guide ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...

'' stated that "Brown is an engaging performer and ebullient presence." ''

The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings ''The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings'' is an encyclopedia of blues music albums released on CD. Content The book was released on 31 October 2006 and was written by Tony Russell and Chris Smith with contributions by Neil Slaven, Ricky Russe ...

'' criticized the "generic versions of the Chicago guitar-band sound with added horns."

Track listing

References

{{reflist 1984 albums